Kellie Picker to Kanye West: Don’t hate on country music

Taylor Swift may have accepted Kanye West’s apology for crashing her acceptance speech at the MTV Video Music Awards on Monday night, but Swift’s best friend, Kellie Pickler, isn’t quite ready to forgive the rapper yet.

At last night’s CMA Songwriter Series at West Hollywood’s House of Blues, Pickler joined top Nashville songwriters Bob DiPiero, Aimee Mayo and Chris Lindsey for an evening of songs and story telling.

Pickler had tweeted to Swift Sunday night following the incident: “Tater Tot, you handled yourself with grace. Kanye, don’t mess with my lil’ sis.” However, she seemed reluctant to bring up the incident last night. We talked to her prior to the event and she deflected our question about whether she’s spoken with Swift since the VMAs (actually, she told us she’d her phone in the toilet and lost all her numbers).

On stage, the “American Idol” contestant-turned-country star was mum about West, instead staying true to the spirit of the evening where the songwriters talking about the story behind a song before performing it. She finished her big hit, “Best Days of Your Life,” co-written with Swift, and then DiPiero said to her “You should dedicate that to Kanye West.”

Any resolve Pickler had to keep her mouth shut crumbled and off she went. “I think what it is… is he just doesn’t like country music. Remember when Gretchen [Wilson] kicked his ass at the Grammys-or was it the American Music Awards-Well, F*** you… Country’s going nowhere.” She then shot West the bird. In other words, you mess with my friend and you’re going to have to deal with me.

Read about the rest of Pickler’s comments-she didn’t stop with West- here.